Relay for voltage regulator

ABSTRACT

A relay for the voltage regulator in which a setting voltage for voltage regulation is capable of being easily and accurately adjusted without moving the armature and contacts by providing a movable iron piece for effectively changing the gap between the armature and the yoke.

United States Patent [1 1 Kato [ Aug. 14, 1973 RELAY FOR VOLTAGEREGULATOR [75] Inventor: Tetsuo Kato, Anjo-shi, :lapan [73] Assignee:Nippondenso Co. Ltd.,

Aichi-Ken, Japan 22 Filed: May31, 1972 21 Appl.No.:258,107

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 3, 1971 Japan 46/38925 [52]US. Cl 335/135, 335/237, 336/135 [51] Int. Cl. H0lh 51/06 {58] Field ofSearch 335/135, 187, 237,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,505,225 4/1950 Akroyd335/187 3,518,595 6/1970 Dawson et a1. 336/135 2,774,057 12/1956 Jones336/135 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,205,579 1960 France 335/187P11111111? 119111 1 51-11 1 5fld 21 29 1 Attorney-John W. Malley, G.Lloyd Knight et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A relay for the voltage regulator in which a settingvoltage for voltage regulation is capable of being easily and accuratelyadjusted without moving the armature and contacts by providing arnovable iron piece for effectively changing the gap between thearmature and the yoke.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 Patented Aug. 14, 1973 3,753,178

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 P/P/Of? ART PfP/OFP ART F 6 25 P/P/O? ART Pm'md Aug.14,1973

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG .13

F/G.5I

RELAY FOR VOLTAGE REGULATOR FIELD OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to a relay used with a voltage regulator and more in particularto an improved construction of a two-contact relay for the voltageregulator used mainly with the charging device such as the generator ofa powered vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a plan view of a prior artrelay.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are plan and side views, respectively, showing portionsincluding an armature and spring of the relay shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view showing the essential parts of anembodiment of the relay according to the present invention.

FIG. 4; is. a side view showing the relay according to the present.invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the essential parts of anotherembodiment of the movable iron piece used in the relay according to thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION vOF THE PRIOR ART The well-known prior art voltage regulatorrelay of this. kindhas, the construction as. shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,which requires twotypes of adjustment of the setting voltage for voltageregulation. Firstly, in order to adjust the magnitude-of the voltage foractuating its armature 5, the force of the first spring 8', which worksagainst the attractive forceof the iron core 2 woundwith the voltagecoil l and=the armature 5 attracted: tothe iron core 2, is changed bybending the adjusting protrusion 3 upward or downward. Secondly, at lowvehicle speeds when thegeneratorvoltage is relatively low, the voltageregulation is achieved by vibratory operation" for opening-andzclosingalternatelybetween the contact 12 and movable contact 6,. whereas athigh vehicle speeds when the generator. voltage is relatively high, thecontact 13 and movable contact6 are alternatelyconnected anddisconnected to regulate the voltage. In this case, it isnecessary toachieve the same effect of the voltage regulation at both high and lowvehicle speeds, andin'order to achieve this purpose, as shown in FIG. 2,the aperture 90 for fixing the spring 9 on the armature Sismade intheforrnof anelongated slot so that the armature'5ismovable'in thedirection of X s X relative to the yoke 4' by loosening the fasteningscrew 11, or the gap g between the armature 5 and yoke 4 is changeableby bending the contacts l2and 13 in the direction X= X. These two typesof adjustment of the setting'voltage, however, affect each other andSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION' An object of the present invention is toprovide a very useful relay for a voltage regulator capable of easy andaccurateadjustment of the setting voltage for voltage regulationwithoutchanging the position of the armature and the contacts byproviding a movable iron piece to effectively changethe gap between thearmature and yoke, whereby the problems, as mentioned with reference tothe conventional relay, are solved.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a relay for avoltage regulator comprising an iron core wound with voltage coils, anarmature with a movable contact adapted to be attracted to said ironcore, a yoke supporting said armature and combining with said iron coreand armature to constitute a magnetic circuit, a movable contact of saidarmature, said movable contact being adapted to be connected anddisconnected to a contact for controlling the output voltage of thegenerator at low vehicle speeds and to another contact for controllingthe same at high vehicle speeds, and a movable iron piece foreffectively changing the' gap between said armature and said yoke.

According to the present invention, the yoke is provided with a movableiron piece for effectively changing the gap between the yoke and thearmature. As a result, there is no need to move either the armature orthe contact to change the gap between the yoke and armature, makingpossible such adjustment that the setting voltages for voltageregulation at both high and low vehicle speeds agree with each othervery easily.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The device according to thepresent invention will be now explained with reference to theembodiments shown in the attached drawing. In FIGS. 3 and 4, thereference numeral 1' shows voltage coils, numeral 2 an iron core woundwith said coils and integrated with a protrusion 33*, and 4- a yoke soshaped as to have at its top and. bottom bent portions 4a and' 4brespectively adapted to extend in opposite directions, said iron corestanding upright on the bottom bent portion 4b. The numeral 5' shows aninverted-L shaped armature with one end opposed to the iron core 2 andthe other end provided with the movable contact 6.'The first and sec-0nd springs 8 and 9 are fixed on the armature 5 at its bent portion bymeans of the rivet 7. The first spring 8 has a free end supported by theprotrusion 3', while the other end of the second spring 9 with a coupleof holding plates 10 on the upper and lower sides thereof is fixed onthe bent portion 4a of the top of the yoke 4. The numeral 12 shows acontact for controlling the output voltage of the generator at lowvehicle speeds, and numeral 13 a contact for controlling the outputvoltage of the generator at high vehicle speeds, both of thecontactsbeing opposed to eachother witha'movable contact 6 between them.The numeral'l4 shows a fan-shaped movableiron piece with teeth 14a onits periphery, which is rotatably mounted on the yoke 4 by means of therivet 15 between the yoke 4 and the annature 5. The teeth 14a of themovable iron piece l4-are projected sideway from the yoke-4 forproviding means for rotating the movable iron piece l4-around the rivet15' thereby to change the areaof the movable iron piece interposedbetween the yoke 4-and the armature 5..

Explanation will be made now of the operation of the relay with theabove-described construction according tothe present invention. When avoltage is applied 'to the voltage coils l, a magnetic flux is generatedin a magnetic circuit consisting of the iron'core 2, yoke 4 and armature5 as much in accordance with the magni tude of the votage applied,whereupon, as the applied voltage-exceeds a pre-determined 'value thearmature 5 is attracted to the iron core 2 by the attractive forcegenerated between the armature S and the combination of the iron core 2and the yoke 4, resulting in the movable contact 6 disconnecting fromthe contact 12.

The voltage regulation is achieved by connecting and disconnectingalternately the movable contact 6 with the contact 12 at low vehiclespeeds and with the contact 13 at high vehicle speeds thereby reducing acurrent supplied to a filed winding (not shown) of the generator toregulate the voltage thereof.

By rotating the movable iron piece 14, it is possible to equalize theregulated voltage obtained by the cooperation between the contacts 6 and12 for low vehicle speeds and that obtained by the cooperation betweenthe contacts 6 and 13 for high vehicle speeds. Thus when the movableiron piece 14 is rotated in the direction of 6 or using a screw driveror the like tool, the area of the movable iron piece inserted betweenthe yoke 4 and armature is increased or decreased as the case may be.When the movable iron piece 14 is inserted between the yoke 4 andarmature 5, the magnetic gap between the yoke 4 and the armature 5 is ineffect replaced by the magnetic gap between the movable iron piece 14and armature 5. In consequence, by controlling the area of the movableiron piece inserted between the yoke 4 and the armature 5, the sameeffect is achieved as if the gap between the yoke 4 and the armature 5is adjusted.

Although in the embodiment shown above a fanshaped magnetic plate withthe teeth 14a is used as the movable iron piece 14 and is rotatablymounted on the yoke 4, the yoke may be provided with a groove in theupward direction to receive slidably a movable iron piece of magneticmaterial in the form of plate tapered, as desired, in the direction ofwidth or thickness. As another possibility, the yoke 4 may be providedwith an internally threaded hole 4c as shown in FIG. 5 into which themovable iron piece of magnetic material consisting of the screw 14' isfitted so that the gap between the leading end of the screw 14' and thearmature 5 may be controlled by turning the screw 14' with ascrew-driver or the like tool applied to the recess l4'a.

I claim:

1. A relay for a voltage regulator comprising:

an iron core wound with voltage coils, an armature with a movablecontact adapted to be attracted to said iron core, a yoke supportingsaid armature and combining with said iron core and armature to providea magnetic circuit, a movable contact of said armature, said movablecontact being adapted to be alternately connected and disconnected to acontact for low vehicle speeds and a contact for high vehicle speeds,and a movable iron piece for changing the gap between said armature andsaid yoke such that the difference between the voltage to open and closethe contacts for the high speed operation and the voltage to open andclose the contacts for the low speed operation may be reduced inchanging the former voltage much more than the latter voltage. v

2. A relay according to claim 1, in which said movable iron piececomprises a plurality of teeth formed on the periphery thereof andprojected sideway from said yoke, said teeth being utilized to rotatesaid movable iron piece around a rivet, whereby the area of said movableiron piece inserted between said yoke and said armature is changed.

3. A relay according to claim 1, in which said yoke is provided with aninternally threaded hole fitted with a movable iron piece consisting ofa screw of magnetic material, said screw being operated to change thegap between said armature and said yoke,

4. A relay for a voltage regulator ofa vehicle, including:

an iron core and voltage coils wound thereabout',

an armature adapted to be attracted to said iron core upon energizationof said voltage coils;

a yoke supporting said armature for providing a magnetic circuit withsaid iron core, said relay including a movable contact mounted to a freeend of said armature and two contacts adapted to engage with the movablecontact, said movable contact assuming one position engaging with one ofsaid contacts when the voltage coils are energized to a selected voltageindicative of a low engine speed of the vehicle, and a second positionengaging with the other of said contacts upon energization of thevoltage coils to a selected voltage indicative of high engine speed, andmovable means fixed to the yoke interposed spatially in an air gap ofthe armature to adjust the size of the air gap, such that the selectedvoltages are substantially equal, providing a voltage regulation of therelay whereby the movable contact switches in and out of engagement withits fixed contact at substantially the same voltage for both high andlow engine speeds.

5. The relay as described in claim 4 wherein said means for adjustingthe air gap comprises:

a movable iron piece including a plurality of teeth formed in theperiphery thereof and projected sideway from said yoke, said teeth beingutilized to rotate said movable iron piece around a rivet, the area ofsaid movable iron piece inserted between said yoke and said armature tochange the air gap.

6. A relay as described in claim 5, wherein said movable iron piece iswedge shaped so as to adjust the air gap when moved selectively.

7. A relay described in claim 4, wherein said yoke is provided with aninternally threaded and a movable iron piece fitted therein comprising,a screw of magnetic material, said screw being operated to change theair gap between said armature and said yoke.

1. A relay for a voltage regulator comprising: an iron core wound withvoltage coils, an armature with a movable contact adapted to beattracted to said iron core, a yoke supporting said armature andcombining with said iron core and armature to provide a magneticcircuit, a movable contact of said armature, said movable contact beingadapted to be alternately connected and disconnected to a contact forlow vehicle speeds and a contact for high vehicle speeds, and a movableiron piece for changing the gap between said armature and said yoke suchthat the difference between the voltage to open and close the contactsfor the high speed operation and the voltage to open and close thecontacts for the low speed operation may be reduced in changing theformer voltage much more than the latter voltage.
 2. A relay accordingto claim 1, in which said movable iron piece comprises a plurality ofteeth formed on the periphery thereof and projected sideway from saidyoke, said teeth being utilized to rotate said movable iron piece arounda rivet, whereby the area of said movable iron piece inserted betweensaid yoke and said armature is changed.
 3. A relay according to claim 1,in which said yoke is provided with an internally threaded hole fittedwith a movable iron piece consisting of a screw of magnetic material,said screw being operated to change the gap between said armature andsaid yoke.
 4. A relay for a voltage regulator of a vehicle, including:an iron core and voltage coils wound thereabout; an armature adapted tobe attracted to said iron core upon energization of said voltage coils;a yoke supporting said armature for providing a magnetic circuit withsaid iron core, said relay including a movable contact mounted to a freeend of said armature and two contacts adapted to engage with the movablecontact, said movable contact assuming one position engaging with one ofsaid contacts when the voltage coils are energized to a selected voltageindicative of a low engine speed of the vehicle, and a second positionengaging with the other of said contacts upon energization of thevoltage coils to a selected voltage indicative of high engine speed, andmovable means fixed to the yoke interposed spatially in an air gap ofthe armature to adjust the size of the air gap, such that the selectedvoltages are substantially equal, prOviding a voltage regulation of therelay whereby the movable contact switches in and out of engagement withits fixed contact at substantially the same voltage for both high andlow engine speeds.
 5. The relay as described in claim 4 wherein saidmeans for adjusting the air gap comprises: a movable iron pieceincluding a plurality of teeth formed in the periphery thereof andprojected sideway from said yoke, said teeth being utilized to rotatesaid movable iron piece around a rivet, the area of said movable ironpiece inserted between said yoke and said armature to change the airgap.
 6. A relay as described in claim 5, wherein said movable iron pieceis wedge shaped so as to adjust the air gap when moved selectively.
 7. Arelay described in claim 4, wherein said yoke is provided with aninternally threaded and a movable iron piece fitted therein comprising,a screw of magnetic material, said screw being operated to change theair gap between said armature and said yoke.